Open Letter to Gregg W. Steinhafel, Chairman, President, and CEO of Target Corporation

Target Corporation has long been a strong ally of Minnesota's GLBT community and OutFront Minnesota and many other GLBT organizations have looked to Target as a model of the corporate support for diversity. Because of this, OutFront Minnesota is disappointed and appalled to learn that Target's political action committee recently contributed $150,000 to a right-wing political group called Minnesota Forward, which is working to elect State Representative Tom Emmer – a candidate with a long history of attacks against GLBT Minnesotans and their families for his own political gain – governor.

Target should recognize that its support of Representative Emmer's campaign supports his toxic social agenda, significant parts of which involve targeting GLBT people, immigrants, and low-income workers for discrimination and marginalization.

Target should be aware of the damage to the lives of GLBT Minnesotans that its spending in support of Representative Emmer will have. Because of this, OutFront Minnesota calls on Target to do the right thing and make amends for the damage it has done by taking back its donation to Minnesota Forward, or by donating an equal amount to a political committee or cause of its choice that works to combat the attacks, dehumanization and marginalization of GLBT people, immigrants, and low-income workers represented by Emmer and Minnesota Forward.

Emmer stands alone among candidates for governor in opposing equality for GLBT Minnesotans. Target should not stand with him.